Barnaby Joyce’s affair: How it happened

DEPUTY Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has denied Vikki Campion was his partner while she was employed in his office.

"I am very aware of the Ministerial Code of Conduct," Mr Joyce told reporters outside Parliament House this morning.

"It is without a shadow of a doubt that Vikki Campion is my partner now. But when she worked in my office, she was not my partner.

"When she worked in Matt Canavan's office, she was not my partner. And Damian Drum was not a minister."

But it's understood Ms Campion was employed in the Deputy Prime Minister's office for a number of weeks in later July and early August last year, after she left Resource Minister Matt Canavan's office.

A timeline of events last year shows Ms Campion was likely to have been pregnant with Mr Joyce's child at the time.

Here's what we know of what happened ever since Ms Campion first went to work for the embattled Nationals leader.

She and her former fiance John Bergin call off their upcoming wedding during August.

The couple had been due to marry on November 5, 2016.

DECEMBER 2016

Mr Joyce's Chief of staff Di Hallam reportedly seeks Joyce's approval to have Campion transferred out of office. Hallam later quits to take up departmental role.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce with his girlfriend and former staffer, Vikki Campion, pose for a photo together. Picture: Supplied

FEBRUARY 2017

Ms Campion is photographed in a Sydney bar with Mr Joyce.

APRIL 2017

Ms Campion leaves Barnaby Joyce's office and is transferred to Nationals senator and Resource Minister Matt Canavan's office as a media adviser working on a social media and digital role. The exact date has not been specified.

June 14: Mr Joyce and his wife attend the Midwinter Ball at Parliament House together.

Mrs Joyce joins her husband on an official trip to the UK, Belgium, Italy and the Netherlands on an official seven-day trip in late June, where he discusses Australia's trade future with Britain and the EU in the wake of Brexit.

June 25: The couple visit London Bridge to pay respects to victims of the Borough Market Islamic terror attack.

Barnaby Joyce and his wife Natalie attend the 2017 Midwinter Ball at Parliament House in Canberra. Picture: Ray Strange

JULY 2017

July 25: Matt Canavan steps down from his ministerial role after being told by his mother that he might be an Italian citizen. His case is later referred to the High Court.

Ms Campion leaves Mr Canavan's office after he resigns from Cabinet.

The Daily Telegraphhas reported she returned to work in Mr Joyce's office temporarily before she was later transferred to Nationals MP Damian Drum's office in August. Mr Joyce's office has not confirmed the dates.

Ms Campion would have fallen pregnant mid-July if, as Mr Joyce confirmed today, the couple are expecting a baby together in mid-April.

August 14: Mr Joyce tells Parliament he might be a dual citizen through holding New Zealand citizenship by descent. Mr Joyce refers his case to the High Court but does not step aside as Deputy Prime Minister or Agriculture and Water Resources Minister.

Ms Campion is understood to have been transferred to Mr Drum's office in late August.

He already has a media adviser. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull is reportedly reassured by Joyce that the relationship with Campion is over. Drum says he was told the same thing. Former Joyce chief of staff Di Hallam takes up a senior position with the Inland Rail project.

SEPTEMBER 2017

Natalie Joyce reportedly asks a family friend, Catholic priest Father Frank Brennan, to counsel Joyce. Campion is seen managing Joyce media events at the federal Nationals conference in Canberra.